I recently (very, very recently) discovered this podcast while compiling another list of reviews that I needed to write. I was sleeping on the floor in a condo at the beach, after having consumed a few too many margaritas (happy birthday to me), when I accidentally clicked on this podcast.

This is the review that almost wasn’t.

I’m just kidding, it would have happened eventually.

But I started with a pretty significant multi-part topic, and I was hooked immediately. Let’s talk about that.

All Bad Things is a podcast that is hosted by Rachel and David. The idea of the podcast is that our hosts go into detail about…bad things? Pretty self explanatory, except they talk about tragedies and disasters that aren’t necessarily crime related. Natural disasters, human error, coverage on the tragedies that we don’t really see much from podcasts. Typically, Rachel does the research, and David has the bad jokes. What really hooked me, however, is what I listened to first.

I have always had a pretty insane obsession with Chernobyl, the meltdown and disaster that occurred. I thought I knew everything I needed to know about this event until I listened to the four part episode that All Bad Things recorded. I learned so much that I didn’t know, and thought about things I’d never thought about before. Their coverage on this topic really gave me a shift in perspective on how I view this awful tragedy. All it took was a couple of hours and one of my favorite dark moments in history and I was hooked. In fact, the entire nine hour drive home the next day was spent binge-listening to episode after episode, and I was drawn in more and more each minute.

Rachel does meticulous research, and it shows. She knows what she’s talking about, and relays the information with confidence but solemnly, because these are heavy topics. She always approaches the disasters themselves with respect, and that’s admirable.

David, on the other hand, is the kind of person you’d want to hear on the radio. He has an exuberant personality that shines through the speakers, and the kind of humor that makes you want to laugh and smack him at the same time.

Much like a lot of podcasts that deal with really heavy topics, humor and silly banter is used to lighten the atmosphere a bit. This isn’t done out of disrespect; it’s clear that Rachel and David are incredibly respectful towards these past tragedies. The humor is more of a tactic of self-preservation. Much like Corpus Delicti, they seem to use humor to “laugh to keep from crying.” It is understandable. Some of the topics they cover are so absolutely heartbreaking, it’s impossible not to break down while listening.

That said, they cover a lot of topics that I didn’t know about. I did not realize how many well-documented instances of plane incidents there are, until I started listening to some of the flight-oriented episodes and starting doing my own research. I also did not realize how often stampedes and trampling comes up in the tragic history of humanity.

These topics they cover are bleak, but fascinating, and have been very cathartic for me. I have a control problem, and researching disasters (specifically of the natural and/or apocalyptic variety) gives me a chance to breathe. I know for a fact that I cannot cause earthquakes, or hurricanes, or floods. It is a relief to research things that I cannot be blamed for. So I am very thankful for All Bad Things for giving me relief from my anxiety in a morbid, strange way.

If you like podcasts about disasters, tragedies, human error, or Mother Nature showing her ass just because she can, this show is for you.

All Bad Things can be found on Stitcher, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and their website that could probably stand to be updated haha! This podcast has 34 ratings on iTunes, which comes up to four stars (though I definitely give them 10/10).

I cannot recommend this podcast enough and I have not shut up about it. Please give it a listen! And to David and Rachel: Keep up the great work! Y’all are hella awesome!

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My name is Abbie, I live in Alabama, and I'm 22 years old. My life is based around music, writing, and podcasts. I love dogs and sleeping. I have a weak spot in my heart for conspiracies, mysteries, and everything true crime. I spend too much money on makeup and food.